| Basic System | | | | Many side count techniques exist including |
| Basic card counting assigns a positive, negative, or | | | | special-purpose counts used when attacking |
| zero value to each card value available. When a | | | | games with nonstandard profitable-play options |
| card of that value is dealt, the count is adjusted | | | | such as an over/under side bet. |
| by that card's counting value. Low cards increase | | | | The disadvantage of higher-level counts is that |
| the count as they increase the percentage of high | | | | keeping track of more information can detract |
| cards in the remaining shoe, while high cards | | | | from the ability to play quickly and accurately. A |
| decrease it for the opposite reason. For instance, | | | | card-counter might earn more money by playing |
| the Hi-Lo system subtracts one for each dealt | | | | a simple count quickly-more hands per hour |
| ten and Ace, and adds one for any value 2-6. | | | | played-than by playing a complex count slowly. |
| Values 7-9 do not affect the count. | | | | The following table illustrates various ranking |
| | | | systems for card counting. |